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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · mouse · stem · bay · kid · bore · cap · can

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. can — a tin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bore — to drill
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. cap — a hat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com